Carrie Young

Background

About Carrie Young

I am a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill where I teach courses aimed at strengthening communication and other applied professional skills for the Master of Applied Professional Studies Program and for graduate students from a range of disciplines across campus. I hold a secondary appointment in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.Before joining the faculty at UNC, I taught graduate and professional studies courses at Cornell University and for eCornell, Cornell’s professional education unit, including courses in communication, journalism, business writing and presentations, creative writing, cross-cultural communication, marketing, consulting for nonprofit and government organizations, capstone projects, and the thoughtful use of AI to support workplace communication. I earned my MPA and PhD at Cornell and was recruited to lead the design and management of an innovative Sustainability Leadership Program with the goal of increasing real-world impact for graduate students and postdocs at Cornell, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Nature Conservancy, and Yale.My research at Cornell focused on collaborative, interdisciplinary projects that applied communication and social science theory to improve engagement, comprehension, and knowledge sharing around environmental and health issues in traditional communities in Kenya, Zambia, and Malawi. This work was inspired by my service in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa.I believe in keeping values at the center of our professional lives, and for me, this means putting kindness first. In doing so, I work to honor those in Mali and other villages in Africa who embody authenticity, caring, strong community values, and a rare depth of generosity, even in some of the world’s most challenging circumstances.My professional background also includes roles as a researcher for National Geographic magazine, managing editor of SC Wildlife magazine, and company manager of Tapestry Theatre Company in Wilmington, North Carolina, a place near and dear to my heart.I am a proud member of the Edward A. Bouchet Honor Society for my work with communities in Africa, my family’s Lumbee heritage, and my lifelong commitment to advancing respect for all people.My passions include creative writing and travel, including 10 countries in Africa, summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and 90 miles on the Camino de Santiago in Spain and France.